My trip to Koh Samui was planned virtually overnight, one day my friends and I were debating where we should go for a long weekend, the next day we were on a plane to Koh Samui. We picked the island because the distance from the UAE to Koh Samui was short enough that we would still enjoy most of our weekend away but long enough that we felt we were able to disconnect and immerse ourselves in a new environment.
Booking the hotel on such short notice meant that we had slim pickings, especially if we didn't want to spend a fortune. Luckily, I stumbled upon an offer at Le Meridien which included breakfast, two free massages and a free shuttle to/from the airport. I had an issue paying with my credit card prior to arriving, but they were very accommodating and offered to let me pay on arrival while still securing the prepaid rate.
Tip: When going on an island vacation, it is extremely important to pick a great hotel as you will most likely spend most of your time on the hotel grounds.
I could not have been happier with our choice as we got a great deal on a villa with a private pool (Pavilion Pool Villa) which is large enough for three people and has a small pool and a large bath tub. It was interesting to shower outdoors but it did add to the overall resort feel.
The hotel has a beach which links up a neighboring beach but it was almost empty every time we went and it also had a plastic pier which is ideal for photo ops. Speaking of which, a branded swing hangs of an angled tree which is a great location to test your modeling skills.
Like most places in Asia, the service was impeccable and every night we came home to a new platter of fruit and dessert. The breakfast buffet changed a little each day and included made to order eggs which were yummy as well as either pancakes or waffles and a variety of things, even chicken! My only criticism of the hotel is that the food at the restaurant/ for room service was nothing special. We had some pizza and pasta the first day but we were not inclined to order off their menu for any of our remaining lunches/dinners, preferring to leave the resort in search of food (check out next week's post for recommendations). Overall, I would definitely return to this resort.
